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2,400 litter louts are caught in crackdown
MORE than 2,400 litter louts have been fined on the spot for dropping rubbish in Peterborough as part of a zero-tolerance crackdown to keep the streets clean which has earned Peterborough City Council almost £80,000 this year.
MORE than 2,400 litter louts have been fined on the spot for dropping rubbish in Peterborough as part of a zero-tolerance crackdown to keep the streets clean which has earned Peterborough City Council almost 80,000 this year.Peterborough's eagle-eyed "green police" patrol the streets seven days a week, handing out on-the-spot 75 fines to anyone caught casually dropping sweet papers, fast food wrappers and even cigarette ends.
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request from Peterborough City Council reveal a staggering 2,439 fixed penalty notices were issued from April last year to 15 January , 2009 – and that number is expected to rise with the financial year not coming to an end until March 31.
Of those fines, 1,491 have already been paid – generating a whopping 79,055. This amounts to an almost 50 per cent rise from the 1,641 penalties issued in 2007/08, which earned the council 58,525.
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The zero-tolerance measures were brought in in 2007 as part of the council's campaign to improve the city's green image and strive towards becoming the Environment Capital of the UK.
Today, cabinet member for the environment councillor Wayne Fitzgerald said the latest figures demonstrated the council was becoming more proactive and that people were becoming more socially aware of their actions.
He said: "Littering is not nice, it is not seen as acceptable behaviour, and people are acutely aware of that.
"People who claim that they don't know it is illegal to drop litter are living in another world.
"Our aim is not to fine people for the sake of it, but to keep the streets clean and punish those who fail to do so.
"There are enough bins around –even I am very conscious when I buy a chocolate bar or fast food item where I will put my rubbish. I always encourage my grandson to throw his litter in the bin.
"Ignorance is no defence in law. Forget fines, is it socially acceptable to throw litter on the floor.
"We, as a city council, take a tough line on keeping the streets clean and tidy.
"Each year, the council spends thousands, if not millions, on doing this and for someone to come along moments after a road sweeper has tidied up and drop an item of litter makes it look like we have not done our job.
"The majority of people abide by the law, but a few spoil it.
"I don't think Peterborough is a very dirty place, it has its grot spots and pockets, but as soon as they are reported to us, we make sure we clean them up.
"People need to remember that it is was they who told us they wanted cleaner streets, and if we didn't enforce this policy we would be living in a dump."
Litter louts who are caught breaking the law are given an on-the-spot 75 fine. This is reduced to 50 if it is paid within 21 days.
The wardens take a 35 cut from the fine, which goes towards paying their wages.
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